Whipped
by angel-death-dealer
Summary: Set after Everybody Hates Hugo, after the dinner scene. More Jatey ending. Will Jack finally tell her? Please R&R ONESHOT


It had been good. Very good. So good that they all realised how much normal food had been taken for granted in their lives. In the past two months they had begged for a bag of potato chips, starved after some chocolate, ached for some fizzy drinks. Now they had been presented with it all, a junk food buffet. Perhaps their last link to the outside world.

And they had demolished it all in under an hour.

Kate back against the log she had previously sat on top of. The wonderous feeling of having a full stomach, as well as the warmth from the roaring fire before her was pure bliss. She couldn't remember the last time she had been able to eat her fill, and then relax afterwards. Before the island, it was always make sure that you eat something with energy in it, something to keep you awake, and then back on the run, back on the road, back on your own. When they had first crashed, her priorities had changed. Making sure that the pregnant woman had enough, making sure that the little boy had enough...yet there was always Jack, doing the same, but making sure that she had enough as well.

Jack, still sitting on the log beside her, from where they had been playfully stealing each others food, was still smiling. Of course, he looked at the others as they spoke, at Sayid and Shannon, at Claire and Charlie, at anyone else near them, just to make it seem like he was really smiling at the passing jokes, at the light hearted comments that fleeted through the camp, free of fear. When really, he was smiling because of Kate.

From where he sat, he could see the peaceful expression on her face as she reclined slightly against the log. The hint of a smile was enough to keep on drawn on his own lips, though hers were much more inviting to look at. As he gazed down at her, he felt himself grow warmer, content, at the rememberance of what had happened an hour ago. He loved her cheeky smile as she stole some of his food, he loved her playful surprise when he had stolen some back, he loved how she had not immediately wiped away the ketchup he had vengefully smeared down her cheek, he loved how she had done the same back, and then half an hour later, wiped it off with her finger and licked it from the digit.

He loved her.

The past 48 days on the island had been less that blissful, but every second he had spent with her made everything ok again. It made him feel happy again. It made her feel normal again. It made them both feel lucky to have the other. Without them, they would both fall apart completely. Kate would still be running, Jack would still be fooling himself that he wasn't allowed to fail.

Now, the playfulness had died down, and people were just talking, laughing, enjoying themselves with the people they had come to love as friends the past two months. Yet only Jack and Kate were sitting silently. No words needed between the pair, and none wanted, in case the moment was ruined. The presence of the other was all they needed for the night to be completely perfect.

Kate inhaled loudly, which turned into a yawn that she couldn't surpress. Jack noticed this, and leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, so that his face drew level with hers, facing into the fire.

"Tired?" He asked her with a smile on his lips.

She nodded. "A bit." Only it was clearly a bit more than 'a bit', shown when she yawned again.

"Kate..." Jack said with a gentle laugh, and she knew that he didn't believe her, but his laugh tempted her into laughing as well. As they laughed, her head fell against his knee, and she rested it in his lap, not moving it away even though her conscious thought was telling her too. Jack was surprised at the position she put herself in, but didn't complain. Instead, he pulled back the fringe of her hair that fell over her tired eyes. "How much sleep did you get last night?" He asked her seriously.

She didn't answer.

"Kate?"

She didn't answer again.

He sighed. "You didn't get any sleep, did you?" He realised.

She nodded. "I kept just tossing and turning, I couldn't get comfortable." She admitted, and shuffled a little, yet keeping her head in his lap. This was when he noticed that his hand was still entwined in her curly hair. "This however, it very comfortable." She murmered softly, and Jack knew that she was falling asleep.

He smiled softly, and without thinking about it, his hand softly began to massage her neck. She let out a content sigh, just on the verge of sleep, when a voice called her out of it.

"HEY KATE!"

She lifted her head sleepily from Jack's lap, and looked across the fire to where Hurley and Charlie were sitting beside Claire. Claire was shaking her head slowly, and meeting Kate's eyes, Kate knew what was going to happen next. She sighed as well, wishing that she hadn't moved her head from the comfortable pillow she had created for herself.

"What?" She called back.

"Comfy?" Charlie asked her.

"Very!" She yelled back.

"Dude!" Hurley laughed. "You guys look like a married couple!"

Half the camp turned around then to see who Hurley had just married off, and were not surprised when they saw that it was Jack and Kate. Jack gave a nervous laugh, but didn't deny it. Kate also didn't deny it, but she decided not to let that go without an equally embarrassing comment.

"So do you!" She said to Charlie and Hurley.

The watchful campers burst into hysterics as Kate lowered her head back into Jack's lap, fully prepared to get back into the same peaceful state. When her head was comfortable again, Jack dipped his head quickly to kiss her hair, which brough a smile, and, dare she admit it, a blush to Kate's face.

"Come on, let's go." He whispered to her.

She nodded wearily, and when he stood up, she took the hand that he extended down to her, allowing him to pull her to her feet. When she wobbled tiredly, Jack gripped her upper arms, steadying her. Then they started out of the fire circle in the direction of Kate's tent.

As they walked off, Charlie and Hurley looked at each other with gaping mouths.

"Did you see that?" Charlie asked.

"He kissed her!" Hurley stuttered. "He actually kissed her."

"No, it doesn't count. It was her hair not her lips." Charlie pointed out. "We don't get the toothpaste from Sawyer until they kiss on the lips."

"But that must mean they're going to kiss soon!"

An invisible lightbulb switched on above their heads, and Charlie snapped his fingers. "Come on, Hurl, let's follow them."

"Charlie!" Claire began, but he didn't pay any attention.

Jack kept his arm around Kate's shoulders, guiding her through the sand towards her shelter.

"Kate." Jack said suddenly.

"Mmmm?"

"About earlier...you know...in the shower..."

Kate woke up a bit there.

"I ... uh ... I'm sorry that I didn't knock ... and that I didn't leave ... and that I stared."

Damn. He wasn't supposed to admit that he had stared.

"It's ok..." She said with a laugh. "I'm glad it was you and not Sawyer."

Jack's eyes lit up, unseen to Kate. She had just proved to him that Sawyer meant less to her, hadn't she? The fact that she would have probably gauged Sawyer's eyes out for walking in on her in the shower, that meant something good. Mind you, Jack had simply turned speechless and watched her walk out, Sawyer would have probably led her back into the shower and confiscated her towel.

"Well, anyway, I'm sorry." He repeated as they reached her shelter, not seeing Charlie and Hurley peeking around the corner of Claire's shelter next to Kate's.

They stood outside for a moment, with Jack preparing to say goodnight to her, and then head back to the others, but it became more awkward, and then Kate smiled.

"What are you smiling for?" Jack asked, even though he was smiling himself.

"Earlier on...in the shower..." She began, "Were you checking me out?"

The question and the memory that came with it made Jack laugh again, but with a hint of red creeping up his cheeks that hadn't been there before.

"Trust me, If I was checking you out, you'd know it." He recited, word perfect from that day so long ago.

Kate raised an eyebrow. "And I know it very well." She said with a grin. "It was obvious, Jack." She told him when he tried to feign surprise.

He shook his head. "That was your fault."

"How?"

"For walking two inches beside me wearing a towel that just about covered...everything." He admitted.

Now it was Kate's turn to blush, and she looked away unable to contain her smile. "It was the only one there." She explained. "I didn't have much choice."

Jack laughed with her, and then he suddenly realised how close they were. There was about half an inch between them, which he wished was closer so that the night wind wasn't so cold against his bare arms. It was nights like this when he regretted ripping the arms off his shirt. As a gust of wind swept over them, Kate shuddered. Jack reached out, and rubbed his hands up and down from her shoulders to her elbows, all the while their eyes were connected. His touch was warming her in more ways than one, and it wasn't long before she was leaning fully against his chest, with his hands now rubbing her back softly. The soothing pressure of his palms was relaxing her so much that she wanted to tell him everything, right there, but she held back that one step.

Without making eye contact with them, Jack fianlly noticed Hurley and Charlie out of the corner of his eye, watching them. He laughed, breaking the moment.

"What?" Kate asked, starting to move, but Jack held her still, whispering in her ear.

"Don't move, we have an audience." He told her.

"Charlie and Hurley?" She giggled.

"Yeah, hiding behind Claire's shelter." He confirmed. "Right, don't move, just put your arms around my neck." He told her, his eyes glinting wildly.

"Why?" She asked curiously, leaning her head back to see his face fully, and having to smile at the intense playful look on his face.

"Just do it." He told her. She did, and she asked why again. "Because I've got an idea."

"Care to elaborate on that?" She asked.

"No." He smiled. "Do you trust me?"

"What?"

"Do you trust me not to drop you?" He asked her seriously.

"You're kidding right?"

"No, do you trust me? Yes or no?" He repeated.

"Yes, I trust you." She laughed, a little nervousness creeping into the back of her mind. What crazy idea did he have in his head?

"Right, now, we're going to give them the shock of their lives." He told her. "Just listen for them squealing like school girls. Ready?"

"Ok." She said strangely, eyeing him curiously.

Then, he did it. One of his hands went up to her shoulders, wrapping around both of them at the centre where her spine was, and the other rested on her lower back. Putting some pressure on her lower back, he leaned her so far backwards that she would have fallen without his arms holding her up. This was when she heard the squeal Jack predicted, and she realised what he was doing, and she loved it, but her lips didn't have time to form a smile before Jack's were upon them. It was a tender kiss, not rushed, not full of lust, but slow, full of passion and love. She tried to convince herself that he was simply doing this to wind up Charlie and Hurley, but she couldn't - there was too much feeling behind it. Her arms tightened around his neck, bringing him closer to her as the kiss deepened.

Neither of them knew that Charlie and Hurley had dissappeared with that squeal to tell the rest of the camp that 'it' had finally happened. All they knew that they were kissing. Jack held fast to her, knowing that she trusted him not to drop her, and so he made no move to return her to a standing state. Instead he continued to explore her mouth with his tongue, their lips colliding again and again until that soft moan escaped Kate's lips that showed him that she was enjoying this as much as he was.

They parted slowly, and after a few seconds of gazing into each others eyes, he brought her up again to stand. His hands remained on her back, and hers around his neck. She leaned her forehead to the base of his throat, both of them catching their breath back.

"I think that definately shocked them." Kate said with a nod.

"I told you they'd squeal." Jack laughed.

But then the humour of the moment passed, and they were aware fully of what had just happened.

"Jack..." She started. "Is it wrong to have enjoyed that?" She asked him.

He shook his head, gazing into her eyes. "No." He told her. "I've been waiting to do that for weeks."

His confession brought a smile to her face, and he smiled too. "So, Charlie and Hurley were just an excuse?" She mused.

"Absolutely."

"And you were checking me out?"

"I couldn't help it."

They both smiled, and then their lips met again. Just as passionate as before, and it lasted longer, with soft pauses where they took a breath before capturing each others lips again. The hand on Kate's lower back slipped beneath her shirt, rubbing circles on the base of her spine which soothed another moan as the hand traveled further up her back, and then back down, and repeating this motion. His other hand was tangled in her hair, where as her arms, around his neck, were simply assuring that if her knees gave way, she wouldn't fall.

"Oh my god!"

"Holy crap, dude, they're still at it?"

"They're like rabbits!"

"I knew it!"

The sudden outburts from their now growing audience caused them to part quickly in surprise. They turned to see that Charlie and Hurley had clearly only disappeared to bring in more witnesses, and they were now face with Charlie, Hurley, Shannon, Sayid and Claire.

"Um...Hey." Kate said to them.

Claire and Shannon smiled at the pair, but the three men all gave Jack a thumbs up instead. Shaking her head, Claire began to shove them away, with the help of Shannon.

"Don't worry guys, we'll get the _children _to bed." She said, with Charlie's head whipping round at the notion of being called a child.

"I'm not-"

"Charlie, just leave them be." Claire warned, and they all gave, in disappearing again, leaving Jack and Kate alone again.

Jack placed a kiss on her lips again, but it didn't develop as the others had done, it was a reassuring one, that told her everything would be alright from now on. She rested her head comfortably on his shoulder. "You should get some sleep," He said to her softly, his breath beating down on her neck.

"Jack?" She asked, and looked up at him. "Stay with me, please?" She asked him.

She half expected him to insist on returning to the caves, to tell her that he needed to be in the hatch, but he didn't. He nodded. "Of course."

**Whipped**

**Set after Everybody Hates Hugo. There was so much Jate in this episode that was left unheard of, so I thought I'd do an ending, or rather, a beginning for it. Hope you enjoy it!**

Together, they went into Kate's tent, and Kate lay down on the bed she had made for herself out of two airplane chairs. Most of them had crafted double beds for themselves now, as they were more comfortable and there was less falling out of bed in the middle of the night into the harsh cold sand. Jack moved beside her, and she curled up beside him, as he took her hand over their stomachs, softly stroking her palm with his thumb.

"Kate, when _was _the last time you slept?" He asked her.

She sighed, there was no use lying to him. "A few days ago." She said quietly. "I know that its not good, I just couldn't sleep." She explained. "This place is horrible. I'm always worried that if I go to sleep, then there'll be one less person here tomorrow."

Jack understood her fears. He hated leaving the beach every day with the fear that something would happen before he could tell her how he felt. "Don't worry, sleep tonight. I'm here." He assured her.

She nodded, and her head fell lazily against his shoulder. "Thank you, Jack."

She was silent from then, and Jack assumed she had fallen asleep, so he kissed her forehead, and whispered: "I love you." Quietly to her.

He was shocked to hear a reply of "I love you too, Jack." From her, showing that she wasn't asleep, but he continued to hold, her and soon after he heard her breathing even out and slow, he fell into a peaceful sleep himself.

The next morning, they awoke with the sunrise, yet they didn't leave Kate's shelter until midday. Charlie had been terrified when he had attempted to see if Kate wanted breakfast, and had left in a hurry, not admitting anything he saw as he could do nothing but babble wildly, though he did attempt to tell the others through some form of charades. When they finally did emerge together, the buttons on Kate's shirt were done up with one side higher up than the other, and Jack's belt on but not clasped up, both were wearing uncontainable grins. Charlie hid as soon as he saw them, but Hurley waited until Kate went over to see Claire and Aaron to walk past Jack, clap him on the shoulder, and say four words to him that perhaps were the truest words Hurley had ever said to him.

"Dude, you're so whipped."


End file.
